


Real Men Wear Makeup

by nicayal



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe, Flirting, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gay Male Character, Interviews, M/M, One Shot, Prompt Fic, The Author Regrets Nothing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-20
Updated: 2015-03-20
Packaged: 2018-03-18 19:09:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3580656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicayal/pseuds/nicayal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wildly successful but reclusive bestselling author Axel Cummings ends up reluctantly agreeing to a network television interview at his manager's behest, expecting it to be a torturous experience. What he didn't expect was having to wear makeup for his on-air debut, or the flirty little blond tasked with applying it.</p><p>AkuRoku fluff/one-shot | Older fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Real Men Wear Makeup

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the following prompt: _Makeup on a guy_

Having been assigned a dressing room next to a presidential hopeful and the next big pop star, Axel was beginning to wonder if it had been such a great idea on his part to accept this television interview after all. If he'd known agreeing to appear on the KHII news segment for the "2014 year in review" would be this nerve-wracking, he would've just passed on it, manager's beseeching requests be damned.

He wasn't a celebrity, had nothing to do with politics. Axel was a writer, plain and simple. It wasn't his fault people seemed to like his latest book series. The concept had been meant as a sardonic take on other genres, nearly a parody, just in fictional form. When the first million books had been sold in the US market alone, however, the phone calls had started coming in, and Axel, the reclusive writer who'd never had any interest in publicity, had been forced to have his publisher find him a manager to begin fielding press inquiries.

Thus far, he'd avoided any public appearances, had even gone so far as to have his groceries delivered to his home upstate when he wasn't begrudgingly visiting the city for in-person status updates with his publishing company.

He didn't read reviews on his books, never bothered checking out gossip on his personal life online. Hell, he'd never handed out even one business card to anyone, despite his publisher having given him a batch of 5,000 at their last strategy meeting.

And now he was sitting in a room with a leather couch, a coffee table with a selection of snacky foods arranged to perfection, and a dressing table and mirror. The walls weren't even soundproof. From the next room over, Axel could hear the pop star arguing with her assistant. Pop idol Kairi (no last name) was lamenting her room's poor lighting, and her assistant seemed to be having a mild panic attack trying to appease the starlet.

Axel sat up a little straighter as he listened, bemused. He had never even considered hiring a personal assistant. Why would anyone agree to be subjected to such whiny tripe from a one hit wonder anyway? Money wasn't a stand-in for personal integrity in his mind. Too bad no one else seemed to agree.

His thoughts were interrupted by the clicking open of his dressing room door. Resignedly, Axel looked up …and was greeted by the sight of a well-defined backside.

He blinked, surprised. A moment later the rest of the person appeared, backing into the room and carefully pulling a cart piled with a variety of different sized boxes.

As the man straightened, Axel felt his heart drop into his stomach in an obvious indication of internal attraction. A tuft of yellow-blond hair and bright blue eyes met his gaze as the young man shot him a tentative smile.

"Mr. Cummings," he greeted Axel. "My name's Roxas. I'm here to help prep you for your appearance."

Still staring, all Axel could do was nod and force out a quiet "hi." He'd never seen anyone so … _beautiful_. And was he really falling into this ridiculous attraction-at-first-sight trope? He'd completely maligned the concept in his own novel series in response to other novels that had used it as their main publicity ploy.

Oblivious to the red-head's thoughts, Roxas wheeled his cart over to the dressing table and beckoned to Axel with his free hand. "If it's not too much trouble, the light's better over here," he said.

"Oh." Axel stood immediately and made his way over to the table, sitting a bit awkwardly as Roxas pulled out the chair for him.

"Uh, thanks," he said. It was a strange to see someone treat him so politely. Or be talking to him at all, as a matter of fact.

"Of course," Roxas said, his smile widening a moment before he turned his back to Axel and began rummaging through boxes.

"Your hair's naturally pretty thick, it seems," he said, and Axel looked up, feeling his face flush as his gaze fell on the young man's backside for the second inadvertent time in the past five minutes. "Yeah," he breathed, not really paying attention. "I guess."

Roxas straightened and turned back to him, a myriad of hair supplies in his arms and a bit of a devilish grin on his face. "Mind if I spike it up a bit?"

Axel's eyes widened. "W-what?"

"It's completely up to you," Roxas was quick to reply as he began arranging the supplies on the table in front of them. "I just thought it might give you a bit of a fun edge."

If it'd been anyone but this baby-faced young man in front of him, Axel might have snapped. He wasn't doing this for the fans, but as a favor to a manager who by all accounts worked his ass off making sure Axel was happy and comfortable enough to continue churning out new writing - and money for everyone involved in the process, he figured. That too. It still stood to reason that he shouldn't have to change his appearance for the sake of anyone else. He liked the idea of maintaining a modicum of integrity, after all.

But Roxas was already running sure fingers through his hair, and for some reason completely beyond Axel's ability to comprehend, he found himself nodding a bit. "Yeah," he said again. "I mean," he was quick to amend, "if you think it'll work, okay. Fine."

What the hell?

The blond was already going to work with a bit of a grin, fingers carefully untangling the occasional knot as a brush smoothed out his work a moment later. His hands were soon shielding Axel's eyes from a small mushroom cloud of hair spray.

"Your tattoos really make your cheekbones stand out," Roxas continued, speaking in low tones as he worked.

Every time Roxas addressed him, Axel noticed a pleasant feeling of warmth spread out from his chest into his limbs. Good god.

"I-is that a good thing?" Since when had he ever stuttered when speaking to someone else, Axel berated himself. This had to be a new low.

Roxas stopped and took a step back to survey his work. "Obviously," he said. "Hasn't anyone told you before?"

"Uh…" Axel found himself at a loss for words, not actually wanting to admit he rarely spoke to anyone outside of a professional context.

Roxas turned back to his collection of boxes, unconcerned. "That's right. I forgot," he said, voice muffled as he dug deeper through a black and white box with a checkerboard pattern. "You're a bit reclusive. A writer of some sort?"

Axel looked up, surprised. "You haven't read my books?"

Turning to look over a shoulder, Roxas shot him a shy smile. "Sorry, nope. I've been pretty busy getting my cosmetology certificate and with this internship here. No time for fun reading."

Finished rummaging, Roxas headed back toward Axel. "I've heard they're really good though," he offered.

Axel nodded acknowledgement but didn't say anything. It was so strange to encounter someone who wasn't familiar with his works. The way his agent spoke, everyone in the known world had read them by now. In a way, this was a refreshing experience, if entirely unexpected.

He was so caught up in his thoughts, he hardly even noted when Roxas moved forward to place a black towel over his chest. As the blond moved to tie it around his neck and secure it in place, Axel felt a pleasant tingle go up his spine as delicate, pale hands brushed against the bare skin of his neck.

"Have I offended you?" A soft voice that made the feeling intensify in Axel's chest met his ears.

Vehemently, Axel shook his head. "Actually, I was just wondering how that Kairi singer person, uh, thing…would have responded to being told someone had never heard her songs."

Axel could almost hear the smirk in Roxas' voice when he next spoke. "Oh, I'm pretty sure I know the reaction already."

Looking at the stylist expectantly, Roxas had Axel's full attention. "Hmm?"

With a bit of a conspiratorial wink that made Axel feel so light-headed he was surprised he didn't faint right there in his dressing room seat, Roxas grabbed his checkerboard patterned box and moved to place it on the table in front of them both.

"Let's just say there's a reason I prefer to style men instead of women when it comes to you celebrity types."

Before Axel could react further, he sat transfixed as Roxas pulled out what looked like a humongous cotton ball. His eyes widened with realization a moment too late.

"Don't worry," Roxas said, misinterpreting the expression. "I'll make sure to keep the tattoos nice and crisp."

Before he could process what he was doing, Axel stood up. "That's makeup," he said, voice accusing.

Roxas regarded him with curious eyes. "That's what it is, yeah."

Stepping away from his seat, Axel shook his head. "It's fine. I don't need that."

Roxas matched his retreat with an approach of his own. "Oh, I think you do, Mr. Cummings."

"Axel," the red-head sputtered. Roxas cocked his head a bit. "Just call me Axel."

Roxas smiled, the look somewhat indulgent. "Okay, Axel. You still need to let me apply this powder."

Axel eyed the cotton ball suspiciously. "Why?"

Still smiling, Roxas placed the makeup tool back onto the dressing table before speaking again. "Because the studio lights are incredibly bright," he explained patiently, "and you'll look somewhere between a zombie and a vampire if I don't help darken your skin tone a bit."

Not entirely convinced, Axel merely shot him a helpless look. "Um…"

Roxas was quick to react, stepping forward and taking Axel's hand in his own. "It's not a big deal," he said, his voice smooth and reassuring. "It's a standard procedure for guests on this show. Everyone has it done. Even the male politicians."

Axel didn't look persuaded, although with Roxas touching his hand this way, he found his protests becoming weaker by the minute. "But it's  _makeup.._."

"Yes, well, you let me use product on your hair, and that didn't seem to bother you," Roxas pointed out.

Axel opened his mouth to form a reply but no sound came out as he considered the blond's words. Trying to be subtle, Axel shifted his gaze and stole a look at himself in the mirror. His normally unruly red hair stood up in crisp yet natural looking spikes. It was actually pretty impressive work.

"Okay, fine," he conceded, allowing himself to be led back toward his chair. "On one condition."

Roxas paused, looking at him expectantly.

Oh, shit. Had he actually said that out loud?

Looking down, Axel returned to his seat. "Never mind," he muttered, feeling heat creep up into his neck.

For his part, Roxas said nothing, simply went to work on Axel's face as the man before him lapsed into silence. Roxas' ministrations on his face felt weird, but not entirely unpleasant. Just the mere fact that Roxas was  _touching_  him was distracting in and of itself. Axel found his eyes wandering, taking in the blond beside him as often and discreetly as possible.

By the time Roxas was finished, Axel felt like a complete fool, his face obviously powdered up in all manner of substances traditionally meant for females. Upon seeing his somewhat stricken look, Roxas laughed. It was a light, airy sound. Again, Axel felt his breath catch.

"Don't worry. The lights in the studio are a lot brighter than here," Roxas said. "Between that and the way the camera distorts images and colors, no one will be able to tell you're wearing anything other than your own skin."

Axel looked down, still unconvinced. "Thanks," he said, feeling a bit of a letdown as he watched Roxas pack up his supplies. This had been a bad idea from the start and he knew it. He hated dealing with people, and now he was going to be broadcast to millions of them. Christ almighty.

"I'm not much for gossip," Roxas broke into his thoughts suddenly, "but does the great Axel Cummings have a significant other, by chance?"

Axel looked up sharply, prepared to rebuke Roxas. His private life was none of anyone's business.

But that look. That open, friendly look. It made the harsh words die in his throat before he could even begin to say anything.

"Not really. I mean, no, I don't," he stumbled through the words. "Uh, why do you ask?"

Roxas was smiling, a small but defining feature in his current expression. "I was wondering if he might like one?"

The way he said it left no room for wondering what was implied there, yet Axel found himself asking anyway. "You mean, you and me?"

Snapping his makeup box shut, Roxas' smile turned into a full-out grin. "Well, unless you'd prefer Kairi. I could always try to set something up for you two if you prefer."

Before he could respond, the door opened, and a voice called out. "Axel Cummings needed on set in five minutes."

Axel stood, a bundle of nerves suddenly releasing into his stomach. "I-I can't…I mean I have to…" He trailed off, unsure exactly what to say.

Wheeling his cart out into the hall, Roxas laid a reassuring hand on Axel's back. "You don't have to decide now. But if you're interested, I can give you my number if you have something to write on, in case we don't cross paths after the show."

His number. Something to write on. Holy shit.

Suddenly making the connection, Axel shoved a hand into his shirt pocket, emerging with one of the 5,000 business cards he figured he'd never use. He handed it over to Roxas who, with a toothy grin of his own, snapped open another makeup box, pulling out a red tube of lipstick. He scribbled his number on the back of the card in a practiced flourish before returning it to Axel.

"Might want to sandwich it between two cards so it doesn't smear onto the inside of your pocket," Roxas said, voice lightly teasing.

A moment later, Axel was being pulled away toward the set, grinning somewhat idiotically from ear to ear at the thought of blond hair, blue eyes, and some business cards that had ended up being more useful than he ever could have imagined.


End file.
